Thursday
of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time
(Numbers
20:1-13; Matthew 16:13-23)
The two
readings today have an interesting parallel.
Both demonstrate a lack of confidence in God’s word. In Numbers God recognizes the justice of the
people’s plea for water. He summarily
orders Moses and Aaron to take the staff with which they did wonders in Egypt and
to assemble the people at the rock of Meribah.
They are not to use the staff, however, to produce water but are to tell
the rock to relinquish its water. Moses,
however, follows his own strategy. He calls
the people “rebels” in defiance of God’s recognizing their cause as Just. Then he strikes the rock – an act of disobedience
since God told him to just order the rock to give water. For his insubordination Moses will be
prohibited from accompanying the people into the Promised Land.
In the
gospel Peter, through divine inspiration, recognizes Jesus as the Messiah and
Son of God. Inconsistent with this
insight, Peter rebukes Jesus for revealing that as Messiah and Son of God he
will suffer death. As in the case of
Moses, the Lord chastises Peter for not attending to his word.
At times we
may be scandalized by both the humility and the glory of God. “How could the Almighty God suffer the most
ignominious of deaths?” we may ask ourselves. Then we will turn around and query, “Is it
possible that Jesus really rose from the dead?”
These truths are virtually incomprehensible to the modern mind, yet
their acceptance in faith makes us who we are.
So that we may enter the Promised Land, let us not hesitate long to
accept them.
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